Try not to sound like those singer-songwriters that go on and on with ten-minute, barely intelligible stories that everyone endures until the next song starts.

The most devastating thing artists can do to their career is get in their own way, and way too many people do. It’s not the labels, the industry, the fans, the cities, the economy, the social media, the marketing, the promoting, the “right time,” the music, or whatever other excuse you can come up with that determines whether you succeed or you fail. It is you—no one else.

The average artist has a naïve, unrealistic, and disconnected view of what the music industry is, how it works, what is involved in “making it”, and what actually is happening behind the scenes. Too many artists take at face value what they see on some TV documentary or read in a fan magazine. Whether you are working with others in a band, looking to connect with a manager, an agent, a label, or an investor, or you just want to work in the industry, it is more crucial than ever to know what you are working for and toward.

Calling for change and being part of making change are two very different things. Stop calling for change and be a part of making the change you want to see.

Choose those you give your trust to carefully. Be caring; be loving; be creative. But also be careful.

Are you considering the other person you're calling when you call? Do you ask if it is a good time? If not, why not?